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Source:https://turdef.com/article/turkiye-s-f-16-viper-modernisation-to-be-divided-by-twoTurkiye's F-16 Viper Modernisation to be Divided by Two
Turkiye’s F-16 Modernisation programme with the U.S. is currently on the discussion table. Two institutions will share the workload to upgrade 79 F-16 jet to Block 70 level. Turkiye holds two separate modernisation programmes for F-16 fleet. Turkish indigenous modernisation programme Özgür will be carried out at Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) facilities. The second modernisation programme will be carried out with U.S. components.
In a significant development, Turkish-U.S. relations reached a new milestone in February 2024. Congress approved Turkiye’s request to acquire two fleets of brand-new F-16 Viper jets and upgrade 79 F-16 aircraft with modernisation kits which will be obtained from the United States. The inclusion of the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 SABR AESA radar, also used in F-35A aircraft, in this modernisation programme is a testament to the technology being employed. According to the current Government to Government negotiations, Turkiye’s modernisation workload will be completed as in previous modernisation programmes. As a result of former upgrades, the Turkish Air Force has no F-16 Block 30. They have all been upgraded to the Block 40 level. Current negotiations foresee the division according to the blocks. The upgrade programme will not require sharing the workload on the same aircraft. In this sense, F-16 block 40 and 50s will be upgraded at the Turkish Defence Ministry’s Eskişehir 1st Air Maintenance Factory Directorate. The directory is also known by its former name, 1st Air Supply and Maintenance Centre Command, while F-16 Block 50+ aircraft will be upgraded at Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) facilities.
According to this separation, 30 F-16 Block 50+ aircraft must be upgraded at TUSAŞ Ankara while remaining 49 F-16 must go to Eskişehir. Defence Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) presented a list to Congress in January 2024, which includes Turkiye’s F-16 modernisation request. The list indicates software upgrades of the Operational Flight Program (OFP) avionics with the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) capability; hardware modifications to enable integration of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Block Upgrade II (MIDS BU II), procured separately; hardware and software upgrades to include aircraft major modification; both classified and unclassified software and software support; integration and test support; support equipment; training and training equipment; spare and repair parts; publications and technical documentation; The estimated total cost is $259 million. This is TurDef’s Exclusive News. It can be republished only by attribution of TurDef as a source.
www.twz.com
MiG-21F-13 and Mirage IIIC :I've just checked, try 75 year old plane.
Pakistan still operates them.
www.zona-militar.com
The Brits do have Meteor on Typhoons and F-35s though.
With only 4 Typhoon in 1435 Flight, the superiority of the Brits over Falkland will be greatly diminished
Argentina only has 13 operationally ready fighters in total and the UK has two carriers and several tankers that can bring in more Typhoons and F-35s if there's a dodgy-looking build up. There's also a defence pact with France I believe.
The issue is range more than anything, they will be plagued by the same issues that limited them in '82, in any potential scenario. Additionally, they only have two KC-130 tankers, which are both very long in the tooth, and haven't been in the greatest of shape as of late.
It is not the Meteor itself, but Turkey is developing a liquid fuel ramjet BVR missile for Kaan and F-16 Özgür (~indigenous V-level avionics upgrade) with a serial production target by 2028.
Brazilians have access to Meteors.
https://euro-sd.com/2021/12/articles/exclusive/24815/brazilian-air-force/
www.twz.com
Completly forgot that one. Thanks.
apnews.com
But now it makes more senses:
Argentina asks to join NATO as President Milei seeks a more prominent role for his nation
Argentina has requested to join NATO as a global partner, a status that would clear the way for greater political and security cooperation at a time when the right-wing government of President Javier Milei aims to boost ties with Western powers and attract investment.
Probably, and this is also a massive geopolitical win for the US, as it brings Argentina back into the US sphere. Previous governments had been trying to court China for economic development, and the wider trends in South America were pointing towards growing Chinese and Russian influence. This could signal a big shift back to South America by the US in order to compete with China.
They got suspended after certain events in 2021.
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Yeah definitely, and given Milei's platform, I can see that he could definitely take a hard line with this issue. Argentina already used to blow them up, perhaps this could be a potential consequence of the high amounts of Chinese fishing? There are multiple reasons behind why Milei is probably trying to win back the favour of the US and West in general, perhaps this is one of them.
I don't think external security is one of the areas that Argentina needs to worry about right now. Moreover, this attempt would only poke the bear. I don't think the US can provide any serious security umbrella in current conditions, and it's not like the implied big baddie here (China) is doing anything like that either; they're not the US, they're more peaceful and they achieve their goals in a more under the radar way compared to the guns blazing US.
Probably maintaining the legal fiction that the Government in Exile is a thing.
Old map.
